Gaseous flow regulator



Oct. 21, 1952 s. H. CHRISTENSEN GASEOUS FLOW REGULATOR Filed April 15.1948 FIG.2

INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 21, i952 s ears Ltldjii? oassons stow REGULATOR Sabinus H.Cl1ristcnsen, Boston, Mass, assignor to Carrier Corporation,Syracuse,-N. EL, acorporation of Delaware Application strait, leis,Serial No. 21,249

V 1 v This invention relates to gaseous flow regulators and moreparticularly to an adjustable regulator for imparting or removing aspiral or twisting direction to gaseous flow through a cir- 011121 duct.Q

' Heretofore, centrifugal compressors, for examplefspin vanes have beenprovided to impart a desired rotation to gaseous refrigerantpassing toan impeller." Generally, the angle at which such vaneswere disposed wasfixed but 'in'sorne cases the'vaneswere adjustable in order to vary suchangle. For most satisfactory results, it is essential that the leadingedge of each vane be tangential to the direction of oncoming fluid fiow.Thus, with a fixed vane myone direction of flow could exist duringoperation of the machine or inefficiencies would result; With adjustablevanesas, heretofore known, any adjustment resulted in theleading edgebeing disposed at an angle to the direction of fluid flow which alsoresulted in ineficiency.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a regulator inwhich the leading edges of the vanes are fixed and tangent to thedirection of fluid flow while the body of the blade is flexible and maybe deformed to impart or to remove a desired direction to the fluidflow.

An object of the present invention is to provide a regulator includingflexible metal vanes having their leading edges fixed and tangent to thedirection of oncoming fluid flow and means whereby the outer trailingedge of each vane may be twisted thus deforming the body of the vane toimpart or to remove rotation or spin to the fluid flow. Other objects ofmy invention will be readily perceived from thefollowing description.

This invention relates to a regulator for gaseous flow in a circularduct which comprises in combination a plurality of flexible, resilientvanes having their leading edges fixed and tangent to the direction ofoncoming fluid flow, and means for adjusting the angles of the vaneswhile the leading edges thereof are held in fixed position and tangentto the direction of fluid flow.

The attached drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention,in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the present inventionembodied in acentrifugal compressor; and

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 2 Claims. (01. 220-114) VY 2 IV-IV of Figure '3; illustrating a and flexed positions; Referringto the drawing, there 15 shown in Figures 1 and 2 a circular duct 2having disposed therein a regulator S'to impartor' to remove rotation orspin to gaseous fluid passing therevane in straight through. Theregulator 3 comprises a, central member 3, preferably formed in twosections as shown in FigureZ to 'aidin assembly; A plurality of spacedvanes 5' extend radially iron member ti. It is essential in my inventionthat vanes 5 be formed of a flexible, resilient material such as aflexible metal sheet as hereinafter described.

An insert member 6 is disposed within the wall of duct 2, memberlrhaving an opening 7 to receive a guide ring 8. The leading edge 9 ofeach vane is securely bolted as shown at H) and ii to insert 6 and; tomember l to hold it in fixed position and tangent to the direction offluid flow;

Prods ii are secured totheouter trailing edge iii of each vane 5. On oneside, rod i2 is disposed in an opening it in guide ring 6. On theopposite side, rod 52 extends through an opening 15 in guide ring 8. Ashaft it extends through the wall of duct 2 carrying a crank ll engagingrod l2. Gear I8 is disposed on the end of shaft 56 without duct 2 andmay be actuated automatically or manually to rotate shaft l6, therebyrotating crank ii to rotate ring 8 and twisting the outer trailing edgeit of vane 5 as shown in dotted outline in Figure 4 to deform the bodyof the vane to impart or to remove a desired spin to the fiuid flow. Itwill be appreciated vanes 5 may be twisted to produce either aright-hand or a left-hand spiral flow with equal efiiciency.

In Figure 3, I have illustrated diagrammatically the regulator employedin a centrifugal compressor as a pro-rotation guide vane disposed at theinlet is to a centrifugal impeller 20 to impart a desired spiral flow togaseous refrigerant passing to impeller 26. The regulator comprises aplurality of spaced vanes 25! composed of flexible sheet metal, theleading edges 22 of vanes 2! being fixed in position tangent to thedirection of flow and the outer trailing edges 23 being twisted in adirection normal to the vane surface to deform the body of the vanethereby changing the direction of gaseous flow.

While I have disclosed that the trailing edges of the vanes may betapered, it will be appreciated under some circumstances the leadingedges may be tapered or both edges may be curved or straight as requiredfor most satisfactory results. It will be appreciated, if desired,

the leading edges of the vanes may also be adjusted if desired similarlyto the trailing edges.

The present regulator may be employed to impart or remove spin to agaseous medium passing through a circular duct. It may be employed atthe inlet to a centrifugal impeller for the purpose of shifting thesurge point, maximum capacity and head While the speed is held constant.If desired, it may be employed to match the first stage and subsequentstages of an axial flow compressor to obtain the correct inflow angle tothe rotating cascades. likewise, .the present invention may be utilizedto remove residual spin of gas in a duct, for. example, from' the laststage of an axial fiow compressor or from wind tunnel fans.

The present invention provides fluid rotation vanes which include allthe advantages of prior structures while eliminating theirdisadvantages. Tangential entry to the fluid is maintained at all timesirrespective of the required turning angle which eliminates loss due .toseparation. The adjustable .vanes provide a wide range of effectiveturningangles. .The efficiency of the present regulatoris as good atall-turningangies as the .efiiciency of prior structures when operatingat their design turningrangle.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, itwillbeunderstood my invention is not'limited thereto since it-may beotherwise embodied within the-scope ofthefollowing claims.

I'claim:

1. Ina centrifugalcompressor, the combination of an impellerfor-compressing fluids, and adjustable means disposed at the inletto-said impeller for determining the direction of fluid supplied to theimpeller, saidmeans comprising a plurality of flexible'metal vanes, acentral-member, said vanes being mounted on and extending radially fromsaid central member, the leading edge of each vane being attached to thecentral member and held in fixed position tangent to the direction offluid fiow, a wall member surround- 5 ing the vanes, the outer edges ofeach vane being attached to the wall member, a movable guide ringdisposed in said wall member, members extending from the itrailing edgeof each vane into openings in theguide ring,

means for moving the guide ring to twist the .outer trailing edge ofeach vane thereby deformvinglthe bodyof the vane to vary the directionoffluid passing to the impeller.

:2. zIn-aregulatorrfor gaseous flow in a circular '15 lduct, ithecombination of a central member tached to the central member and held infixed positionltangentto the direction of-fiuid flow, a wallmember-surrounding-the vanes, the leading edge of each vane beingattached to -the {wall member, a movable guide-ring placeddn thezwallmember and extending circumferentiallyvvabout the vanes, membersextending iromathe-trailing edge of each -vane into openings v,int'theg-uide ring, and means for moving the guide ring to deform the-body ofeach vane wherebythadirection-of .fiuid flowmay be-adjusted.

:SABINUS CHRISTENSEN. REFEREN'GES CITED The following references are ofrecord: in, the

file 'of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT-{S Number Name lDate 2,280,638 .Rufi Apr.- 2-1,:1942 2,337,861 Adamtchik Dec. 28,1943 2,339,150 Codrington J an. 11, 1944

